First Look: Lingo iRis Battery Pack + FM/DAB Receiver for iPhone 4

Known overseas for its iPod and iPhone digital audio broadcasting (DAB) radio accessories, Lingo has developed iRis ($80), a combination battery pack and FM/DAB/DAB+ radio accessory specifically for the iPhone 4. The glossy plastic-bodied frame folds open to allow iPhone 4 insertion, providing holes for access to the screen, headphone port, buttons, and camera, and relying upon a free application called DAB GO! for everything from battery charge level indications to tuning of FM and DAB radio broadcasts, the latter complete with color slideshows of album art or other images provided over the air. Lingo also includes an app-assisted battery management tool called Charging Wizard, which monitors the iPhone 4's battery level and makes adjustments to the use of iRis's integrated rechargeable cell in order to optimize the duration of charging, letting you stop providing battery power when the iPhone reaches a specified charge level. Speaker and microphone pass-throughs are included in the unit's bottom, along with an audio-out port and a micro-USB port for recharging the battery. Updated September 23, 2011: Lingo is now offering a version of iRis with a 1500mAh battery and FM radio receiver without DAB functionality, as shown in the last four pictures below.

Editors' Note: iLounge only reviews products in "final" form, but many companies now change their offerings - sometimes several times - after our reviews have been published.
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